NORVèGE

Ervaar Norvège

Oslo is a stunning city, with some amazing restaurants and nightlife. Hiking, ice skating and skiing are all possible within the city limits, while museums, parks and impressive architecture adorn the landscape.

In eastern Norway, there is Velmunden, a canoeing paradise thanks to the Randsfjord and Sperillen lakes. The landscape is unspoilt, with many canoeing routes to explore. There are also several historic Finnish settlements here for those wanting to experience some of the history of the country on holidays to Norway.

In southern Norway, visitors will find the Setesdal Valley. The landscape here is perfect for hiking, with extensive woodland and mountains surrounding the area.

In Setesdal, tourists will find the Haugeburet building, one of the oldest structures in Norway, having been built in 1219.

Touring the coastal road is a great way to take in some scenery. Running from Mandal to Hafrsfjord, the road is more than 6,000kms long and is best enjoyed by cyclists.

The Southern Norway archipelago is a popular tourist spot. Made up of thousands of islands, this area is particularly popular with sun worshippers in the summer months, but is also a perfect place for beginners to try sea kayaking, as the waters are perfectly calm.

Nidaros Cathedral was an incredibly important pilgrimage destination throughout the Middle Ages, and it's easy to see why. The cathedral, located in Trondheim, is enormous and beautifully decorated.

Canals play a significant part in Norwegian life and one of the best is the Telemark Canal. This beautiful waterway extends from the birthplace of Norway's most famous playwright, Henrik Ibsen, all the way to Dalen. The canal can take a few hours to explore, particularly if visitors stop off to see the many sites along the way, such as the Nutheim art hotel, the Hardangervidda plateau and Morgedal, which is famous for its excellent skiing. A series of intricate locks can make for slow going, but this is one of the most peaceful and serene ways to travel on Norway holidays.

Need to know

Norwegian, which has some similarities to Swedish and Danish, is the official language of Norway. Because it was, until relatively recently, a series of unconnected regions, there are significant variations in dialect. Norwegian is used by 95 per cent of the population as a first language, while there are two separate written standards: Nynorsk ("New Norwegian”) and Bokmål ("Book Language "). As English is taught in schools from a young age, around 90 per cent of the population are fluent in the language. Many people within the tourist industry speak fluent English, with German and French also commonly spoken.

Currency

The official currency of Norway is the Norwegian krone, which is made up of 100 øre. Foreign currency can be exchanged at many airports, banks or money exchanges, and all three can be found throughout the country. In Norway, ATMs are called 'Mini-Banks' and accept foreign cards. Credit cards are widely used, except in small shops and post offices. Anyone wishing to use their credit card will have to show photo identification, such as a passport or driver's licence.

Visas

Norway is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, in which 26 separate European Nations have opened their internal borders to other member nations. As a result, Norway is open to citizens of all Schengen states. Citizens of EU countries which have not signed the agreement, including the UK, are also granted access to the country without a visa. However, it may still be worth carrying a passport, credit card and driving license in the event of needing to hire a car.

Climate

Norway is often thought of as a wet and bitterly cold country, however there is some variation in climate that may surprise you. The countries position in the westerlies means that there is a strong and warm current that passes its shores, bringing small spells of pleasant weather. Unlike other countries that have a high latitudes; such as Greenland and Siberia, Norway is much more temperate. This also means that the snow that falls along the coast melts almost immediately. For around three months of the year snow can be seen quilted across houses and streets inland, and on average, temperatures vary between -10°C in the early part of the year, to +16°C in the summer months.

Main Airports

Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) is by far the biggest airport in the country, at around 50kms to the north of Oslo. It receives many flights from the UK. Sandefjord Airport in Sandefjord, 120kms from Oslo, is the primary destination for some budget airlines arriving from the UK. Moss Airport in Rygge also charters scheduled UK flights.

Flight Options

Local airlines fly from London-Heathrow, Manchester and Dublin direct to Oslo Airport (Gardermoen). Some budget airlines fly from several UK airports to Sandefjord Airport, including from London-Stansted, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Flight time from London to Oslo is around 2 hours.

Travel Advice

Flight fares tend to be consistently priced throughout the year, but there is a marginal rise during the peak season, June through August. Some of the charter airlines sometimes have online deals, so it is worth checking. Flying into Sandefjord Airport rather than Oslo Airport can be cheaper, however visitors have to travel a further distance to Oslo on arrival.

Other Transport Options

Several international bus lines cross the border from Sweden. Eurolines and SwebusExpress run bus services from Copenhagen and Denmark to Oslo several times a day, and buses run far more frequently than the trains. Although there is currently no ferry service from the UK, there is a daily ferry service from Kiel in Germany to Oslo, taking around 20 hours. There are also ferries from Copenhagen and Denmark to Oslo.